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Gallant captain, fhow fome pity

To a lady in diftrefs;

Leave me not within this city,

For to die in heaviness:

Thou haft fet, this prefent day, my body free, heart in prison still remains with thee.

But

my

"How should'st thou, fair lady, love me,
Whom thou know'ft thy countrys foe?
Thy fair words make me fufpect thee;
Serpents lie where flowers grow."

All the harm I wish on thee, most courteous knight,
God grant upon my head the fame may fully light.

Bleffed be the time and feafon,

That thou came on Spanish ground;

If you may our foes be termed,

Gentle foes we have you found:

With our city, you have won our hearts each one,
Then to your country bear away that is your own.

"Reft you fill, moft gallant lady; Reft you ftill and weep no more; Of fair flowers you have plenty,

Spain doth yield you wonderous ftore."

Spaniards fraught with jealoufy we oft do find,

But Englishmen throughout the world are counted kind.

Leave me not unto a Spaniard,
Thou alone enjoy'st my heart;
I am lovely, young, and tender,
Love is likewise my defert:

Still to ferve thee day and night my mind is preft;
The wife of every Englishman is counted blefs'd.

"It would be a shame, fair lady,

For to bear a woman hence;

English foldiers never carry

Any fuch without offence."

I will quickly change myself, if it be so,
And like a page will follow thee, where'er thou go.

"I have neither gold nor filver To maintain thee in this cafe,

And to travel is great charges,

As you know, in every place."

My chains and jewels every one shall be thy own,
And eke ten thousand pounds in gold that lies unknown.

"On the feas are many dangers,

Many ftorms do there arise,

Which will be to ladies dreadful,

And force tears from watery eyes."

Well in troth I fhall endure extremity,

For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee.

"Courteous

"Courteous lady, leave this folly,

Here comes all that breeds the ftrife; I, in England, have already

A fweet woman to my wife;

I will not falfify my vow for gold nor gain,
Nor yet for all the faireft dames that live in Spain."

O how happy is that woman
That enjoys fo true a friend!
Many happy days God fend her;

And of my fuit I'll make an end :

On my knees I pardon crave for my offence,
Which love and true affection did firft commence.

Commend me to that gallant lady,

Bear to her this chain of gold,
With these bracelets, for a token;
Grieving that I was fo bold:

All my jewels, in like fort, take thou with thee;
For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.

I will spend my days in prayer,
Love and all her laws defy;
In a nunnery I will shroud me,

Far from any company :

But, ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this, pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss.

Το

Thus

Thus farewell, moft gallant captain!
Farewell to my hearts content!
Count not Spanish ladies wanton,

Though to thee my mind was bent:

Joy and true profperity go ftill with thee!
"The like fall unto thy fhare, most fair lady."

THE

BALLAD VI.

LADYS

FALL.

M

ARK well my heavy doleful tale,

You loyal lovers all,

And heedfully bear in your breast

A gallant ladys fall.

Long was the woo'd, ere fhe was won

To taste a wedded life,

But folly wrought her overthrow,

Before he was a wife.

Too foon, alas! fhe gave confent

To yield unto his will, Though he protested to be true,

And faithful to her ftill.

She felt her body alter'd quite,

Her bright hue waxed pale,

Her fair red cheeks turn'd colour white,

Her ftrength began to fail.

VOL. II.

P

So,

So that, with many a forrowful figh,
This beauteous maiden mild,
With grievous heart, perceiv'd herself
To have conceiv'd with child.
She kept it from her fathers fight,
As close as close might be,
And fo put on her filken gown,
None might her fwelling fee.

Unto her lover, fecretly,

Her grief fhe did bewray,

And, walking with him hand in hand,
These words to him did fay;
Behold, faid fhe, a maids diftrefs,
By love reduc'd to woe,
Behold I go with child by thee,
But none thereof doth know.

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Come, come, my love, perform thy vow,

And wed me out of hand;

O leave me not in this extreme,
In grief always to stand!

Think on thy former promise made,
Thy vows and oaths each one;
Remember with what bitter tears
To me thou mad'ft thy moan.

Convey

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